Head in forward posture can add up to thirty pounds of abnormal leverage on the cervical spine. This can pull the entire spine out of alignment. Forward head posture (FHP) may result in the loss of 30% of vital lung capacity. Would you be surprised that your neck and shoulders hurt if you had a 20-pound watermelon hanging around your neck?Rene Cailliet M.D., famous medical author and former director of the department of physical medicine and rehabilitation at the University of Southern California

There are about a million and one ways to end up with WHIPLASH, and after a quarter century in practice, I can assure you that I have seen many of them. One of the worst cases was in a 14 year old kid who had a chair (intentionally) pulled out from under him as he was sitting down in the school cafeteria. Regardless of whether your CHRONIC NECK PAIN is the result of CAR ACCIDENTS or other factors, the SCM muscle (Sterno-Cleido Mastoid) is almost always involved.

There are several things that happen when the SCM (as well as the PLATYSMA that covers it) has ADHESIONS OF THE FASCIA. One of the first is that it goes in to hyper-contraction or spasm. As you can gather from looking at the pictures above, this will draw the head downward (HEAD FORWARD POSTURE) or at the very least, prevent it from going backwards or side-to-side as much as it should. Not only is the FORWARD HEAD POSTURE associated with many bad outcomes (pain, ARTHRITIS, OSTEOPOROSIS, and even TYPE II DIABETES), so is the restricted motion that is almost always associated with it. It is critical to understand that DEGENERATIVE ARTHRITIS has a known cause --- loss of normal joint motion.

Joints that do not move properly wear out prematurely, and as joints wear out, they move worse. As you can see, it is a vicious cycle that actually feeds itself. Listen to what Allen Woodruff said about Whiplash in an article he wrote for last year's April 15 edition of Dynamic Chiropractic (The Illusive Root of Whiplash Associated Disorder).

"Unanswered questions surround whiplash, especially when no bones are broken. There is lack of evidence correlating speed, impact, size of vehicle, and severity of injury to chronic pain that shows up much later. A patient having fresh tissue injuries directly from whiplash unfortunately is a candidate for developing into a chronic sufferer, which can devastate their life. Most whiplash injuries begin with mild symptoms, but still pose an 18 percent chance of developing into chronic problems down the road, as much as two years following the initial injury."

Considering how many people are or have been involved in Whiplash Accidents in the United States (not to mention the fact that evidence shows that nearly a quarter of these people will progress to chronic --- even though many DID NOT SHOW IMMEDIATE PAIN), we need to be aware that by far, the most commonly affected muscle in such accidents is the SCM. When the SCM is injured, the pain is not only found at the muscle itself, but is far more frequently found in other sites. Some of the more common areas that pain is referred from the SCM include the sinuses, JAW, temple, eye, and even sometimes, the FACE. It is also one of the more significant contributing factors toHEADACHES--- particularly headaches that originate at the base of the skull and radiate up to the top of the head --- or even over to the eye area (a pattern like Lone Ranger's mask).

Furthermore, if a person is dealing with Neurological Symptoms that they know are not being caused by GLUTEN or GLUTEN-CROSS-REACTORS, then they need to look to the SCM. Some of the relatively common problems / symptoms associated with dysfunction of the cervical spine (neck) include things like Dizziness / Vertigo / Equilibrium Issues (HERE), Nausea, Visual Disturbances, Hearing Problems, and others. HERE is an example of the SCM and Cervical Spine Dysfunction causing a hearing problem (deafness) in a person who had absolutely zero neck pain. Listen to what CM Shifflett says in Surviving Martial Arts.

"When the SCM is strained or shortened the muscle itself rarely hurts, no matter how stiff or tight it may be. Problems are referred elsewhere, to head and neck, ears, eyes, nose and throat. The astonishing laundry-list of pain and dysfunction includes severe dizziness and other neurological symptoms. These may be mistakenly diagnosed as migraine, sinus headache, atypical facial neuralgia, trigeminal neuralgia, arthritis of the sternoclavicular joint, ataxia, multiple sclerosis (MS), brain lesions, tumors, and other frightening conditions. As always, these possibilities should be eliminated through differential diagnosis. However, because of its intimate relationship with the brain stem and several nerves including the vagus nerve, the SCM can produce many neurological disturbances all on its own. One is a condition known as “postural dizziness” — just walking around feeling dizzy and disoriented — perhaps with a frontal headache commonly interpreted as “sinus” pain."

"quite common, especially in the cervical musculature, and most often found in patients 31 years to 50 years of age, with a greater incidence in women than men. Several studies have reported that up to 85% of back pain and 54.6% of neck pain and headaches are caused by myofascial pain."

Did you catch that? The majority --- over 50% ---- of all back and neck pain is likely caused by problems in MUSCLES and FASCIA. Fascia is the single most pain-sensitive tissue in the body (HERE) and if you fail to understand that there are no drugs that aid in the healing process of soft tissues (there are many drugs that hinder this process --- HERE is one such example), you are much more likely to end up with CHRONIC PAIN. There is one and only way to address these sorts of problems. It involves providing the body with SOLID NUTRITION (HERE is an example), while function, motion, strength, and muscular coordination are being restored.

RITALIN.... "PRESCRIPTION METH"MEDICATION OR DOPE?

Ractapopulous (JL) - Pixabay

"I do believe I was a victim of the pharmaceutical and insurance cartel in this country, which indulges a system where drugs are administered before every other possible option is explored."Twenty year old "M", the subject of a recent Yahoo article called Taking My Kid's Ritalin was a Nightmare and a Revelation

Although many of you are already aware of this, most of the drugs commonly used to treat children with ADHD are actually forms of methamphetamine. In fact, if you look at the names of the three most commonly prescribed drugs for this problem (both adults and children), you'll find that some portion of the word "methamphetamine" is used as part of the drug's chemical name (Concerta --- methylphenidate, Aderall ---amphetamine / dextroamphetamine, Ritalin ---- methylphenidate). There are numerous others.

A recent article on Yahoo (Taking My Kid's Ritalin was a Nightmare and a Revelation) exposed a stepmom's shock at the strength of her stepson's medication --- medication he had been on non-stop since first grade. After mistaking his RITALIN for one of her sleeping pills one night and subsequently feeling, "herjaw tightening, clammy, agitated, and chilled," she was not so surprised that her son, "seemed emotionally dependent on having his meds". It is no wonder that Courtney Love, widow of Nirvana's front man, Kurt Cobain, who killed himself 20 years ago last month at age 27, said of their drug use, "when you're a kid and you get this drug that makes you feel that feeling, where else are you going to turn to when you're an adult?". Cobain was diagnosed with ADHD and begin taking Ritalin at age 7.

Note the dichotomy here. Even though "M" (from the quote at the top of the page) wishes doctors would have explored other options before the drugs, his stepmom writes that, "he feels that some of his prescription drugs have allowed him to function in society far more effectively than he might have otherwise. At the same time, he's concerned about the effects of synthetic chemicals on a developing brain. He also wonders if other issues that arose in his late teens might have been related to long-term Ritalin use." In the end, the author states that, "it's impossible to know now whether it was a mistake to start M on Ritalin all those years ago".

My point with sharing this article is not to beat folks over the head for something they may honestly not have known, but to educate them about better ways. In the same way that "Meth" is a dangerous and highly addictive street drug, so are the meth-based medications used to treat ADD / ADHD. You need to do whatever it takes to get your child(ren) off these meds. Because many mental issues (DEPRESSION for instance) are considered to be "INFLAMMATORY" problems, you first need to figure out how to squelch the inflammation. Start by following the previous link and consuming PGFO. Also, ADD / ADHD is another one of the "NEUROLOGICAL PROBLEMS" that is being heavily linked to GLUTEN. And everyone knows what SUGAR does to these kids --- it's not some sort of mystery. You'll probably have to deal with some GUT ISSUES as well --- particularly if your child has been on any amount of ANTIBIOTICS. This is a starting point.

Here's the good thing. In the time since Cobain and "M" were prescribed their Ritalin, the internet has taken a prominent place in our society. There are huge quantities of information on dealing with ADD / ADHD naturally --- some of it right here on our site. If you do nothing else, please do whatever it takes to keep your kids of these drugs!

LOSING THE WAR ON OBESITY

Cocoparisienne (Anja) - Deutschland - Pixabay

It was just a few short weeks ago that I reported on the fact that the government was telling America that we had finally crested the mountain that is OBESITY, and were on the downhill side of things (HERE). Unfortunately, it seems as though all the hoopla was a bit premature. The brutal reality is that the "Obesity Epidemic" shows no indication it is slowing down here in the US; let alone being defeated.

Gallup Polls, who has been tracking American obesity for the past six years, revealed the other day that as a nation we have increased our percentage of those who are obese by over half a percent from last year at this time. By the time that you tack on the 7 or 8% of Americans who are "SKINNY FAT", it is easy to see why weight and weight-related health issues are two of the largest drains on our national economy.

If you are serious about losing weight, HERE is a good place to start. Some of you have underlying health issues that will not allow you LOSE WEIGHT without some intervention. The reasons for this could be anything from fouled up flora from taking ANTIBIOTICS, to chemical toxicity, to HORMONAL ISSUES, to FIBROMYALGIA, to GLUTEN SENSITIVITY, to BLOOD SUGAR REGULATION ISSUES, to dozens of others. Our site is an excellent resource for getting started. Knowledge is power. If you are not willing to step out of the "medical" box, odds are you will be in the same shape or worse a year from now when the next Gallup Poll comes out. 2014 is almost halfway gone, take the initiative and get started today (HERE).

CHILDHOOD ATHLETES AND CONCUSSIONSIS THERE A SOLUTION?

BruceBlaus

BruceBlaus

Typically, it is caused by a direct impact to the head but can occur as a result of any ‘impulsive’ force transmitted to the head. In the United States, between 1.7 and 3.8 million TBIs occur each year, with over 240,000 of these injuries occurring due to sports and recreational activities. Between 2001 to 2009, the number of sports-related TBIs seen in emergency departments (EDs) increased 62%, from 153,375 to 248,418; the highest rates are among males between 10 and 19 years of age, with 70% (173,285) of the TBIs occurring in this population. TBI was cited as a contributing factor in approximately 30% of all injury-related deaths—accounting for 52,000 deaths per year.From an article in the latest issue of Practical Pain Management, called Recognizing and Treating Concussions Related to Sports Injuries.

PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH TBI AND SRC (SPORTS-RELATED CONCUSSIONS)

As we are beginning to find out that concussions (otherwise known as TBI or Traumatic Brain Injuries) can be far more serious than anyone could have guessed just one short decade ago. For instance, we now know that AUTOIMMUNE DISEASES are heavily linked to TBI's. Who would have thought? But as the hits keep coming, the problems don't stop there. Although there are a myriad of symptoms associated with TBI, this article focuses on the top four, which are

Headache (this is the most common of the four)

Sleep Disturbances(an inability to either get to sleep or stay asleep)

Cognitive Deficits(slow reaction times, feeling like you are in a fog)

DRUGS -vs- NO DRUGS FOR TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURIES

As the article stated, its chief thrust is to, "focus on non -pharmacologic therapy of pain after an SRC(Sports Related Concussion) because, "it is widely accepted as the most important intervention in the management of SRC" . Furthermore, the authors (a medical student in neurosurgery, a prominent neuro-psychologist, and top neuro / orthopedic surgeon) go on to warn readers that the drugs which are typically given for those who have suffered SRC's, "are not supported by strong evidence," and should be used "cautiously" if at all. All of this begs the question of what constitutes the best non-pharmacological approach to managing Traumatic Brain Injuries / Sports-Related Concussions in young athletes? Fortunately they tell us. But be warned. Much of this is not the kind of thing that many athletes or coaches want to hear.The authors tell us that the single best form of treatment for individuals who have been through an SRC / TBI, "involves physical and cognitive rest until the acute symptoms have resolved". They specifically mention that this means resting from things like, "homework and video games" as well as "at least 24 to 48 hours" of physical rest after the concussion. From there, the young athlete is supposed to, "follow a stepwise graduated return to play protocol". As you can see, there is potential wiggle-room for coaches who want their athletes back quicker than they should (and let's face it, as a coach myself, I can assure you that no coach likes playing without their best players on the field). Beyond this, you have to understand that in order to get back on the field, athletes will often lie (just Google "I lied about concussions" to see how prevalent this phenomenon is in all levels of athletics). Coaches must be educated about this --- particularly the specifics of the return-to-play protocol. My sincerest wish is that once they understand the potential for lifelong, yet often occult (hidden --- at least at first) consequences of these supposed "mild" brain injuries, they will err on the side of caution. Ethically, they must. When you add the fact that the authors tell us that most ("80-90%") of these concussions take "7-10 days" to recover from, due to the fact that, "athletes who have suffered previous concussions are at a significantly higher risk for incurring a repeat concussion, especially in the acute post-concussive period," you can see the potential for disaster.This would be as good a time as any to allow me to reiterate the "no drugs" message being touted by these authors. After talking about some of the drugs that these children could be prescribed for their post-concussive symptoms, and then discussing the array of potential side effects, they come to a final conclusion in the paper's last paragraph. "The evidence behind the majority of these pharmacologic therapies is lacking..... Non-pharmacologic therapy with physical and behavioral rest, as recommended by CISG2 should be attempted prior to the initiation of pharmacologic therapy." This is good advice for coaches, parents, and athletes themselves. Just remember that your young athlete is likely to lie in order to get back on the field. You must be aware of this fact and protect them from themselves!

MANAGING THE ATHLETE WHOSE SYMPTOMS LAST LONGER THAN 10 DAYS

This is the group (those who do not fall into the 80-90% of the previous section) for which the authors think pharmacological therapy might be warranted. They say that individuals from this group,"should be managed in a multidisciplinary setting by clinicians with experience in sports-related concussion". They then go on to discuss which of the myriad of drugs out there might benefit those suffering the effects of a concussion. Be sure to understand that before talking about the many side effects, the authors declare that, "unfortunately, there is still a lack of published evidence delineating the role of pharmacologic agents for SRCs".

Take my word for it when I tell you that the drugs chiefly discussed in this article are for the purpose of covering the symptoms listed earlier. This is because, "there have been few clinical trials of medications that modify the underlying pathophysiologic processes" associated with TBI's. This is not really news. Ask those who have PCS (Post-Concussive Syndrome) whether the drugs really help them, and virtually all will answer in the negative (HERE IS AN EXAMPLE). The authors do let us know that athletes on drugs for TBI caused by SRC are not allowed to return to the field / court while still on drugs. Furthermore, because HEADACHES are the most common symptom (slightly less often, these can be MIGRAINES), I feel that I must mention that the authors concluded that they, "strongly recommend against the use of opioids in PTH [post-traumatic headache]". They also discussed "Rebound Headaches" (aka "Medication Overuse Headaches") --- headaches that are actually caused by the very medication(s) people take for their headaches.

POST-CONCUSSION DEPRESSION & INSOMNIA

The fourth item mentioned was Neuropsychiatric Issues. The most common of these are, "depression and emotional disturbances". Despite the fact that the authors tell us that, "depression after SRCs usually resolves spontaneously in a short period of time," they turn around and tout several different medications and tell us that, "SSRIs and tricyclic antidepressants should be used to treat depression related to TBIs". I would very much disagree with this approach in virtually all cases. Once you understand a bit about DEPRESSION and the drugs used to treat it, you'll not want your children on them.

I found it interesting that while they discussed INSOMNIA, they were not enamored with the drugs used to treat it. They did promote the concept of "Sleep Hygiene," which entails things like, "using the bed only for sleeping, avoiding coffee, alcohol, and nicotine, going to bed at the same time every night, and avoiding sources of stimuli in bed, such as televisions, computers, and mobile phones". Interestingly enough, they also talked about supplementing with Melatonin --- a chemical made by your body to regulate Circadian Rhythms and Sleep Cycles. I was troubled to see that they promoted RITALIN and similar drugs (HERE) for the "Cognitive Deficits" seen with TBI / SRC.

Overall, I think the article was good. It seemed however, that despite the fact that over and over again the authors spoke about drugs not being good options for treating children with concussions, they spent an awful lot of time talking about various drugs used to treat children with concussions. To better understand why this is, you can read a commentary I wrote on this topic a few years ago (HERE). Honestly, the more one understands the way that EVIDENCE-BASED MEDICINE works (or doesn't work), the less you are surprised by this frequent doublespeak. If your child is suffering the after-effects of a TBI (whether it's sports-related or not), have them checked out by a Functional Neurologist trained by Ted Carrick. Trust me when I tell you that TBI's can lead to some places you do not want your children to go (HERE).

"With 10 million new cases every year, ear infections (otitis media) are the most common illness affecting babies and young children and the number one reason for visits to the pediatrician — accounting for more than 35 percent of all pediatric visits. Almost half of all children will have at least one middle ear infection before they're a year old, and two-thirds of them will have had at least one such infection by age 3. For many children, it can become a chronic problem, requiring treatment year after year, and putting the child at risk of permanent hearing damage and associated speech and developmental problems." The opening of the American Chiropractic Association's 2014 article called Chiropractic Approach to Ear Infections.

"Many doctors will prescribe an antibiotic, such as amoxicillin, to be taken over seven to 10 days. The American Academy of Pediatrics issued guidelines in 2013 that encourage doctors to observe and closely follow these children with ear infections that can’t be definitively diagnosed, especially those between the ages of 6 months to 2 years. If there’s no improvement within 48 to 72 hours from when symptoms began, the guidelines recommend doctors start antibiotic therapy. Sometimes ear pain isn’t caused by infection, and some ear infections may get better without antibiotics."From the NIH's website (Ear Infections in Children)

If you you follow the research, you've probably realized that there is a chasm between medical research and medical practice (HERE). Nowhere is this more clearly seen than in childhood ear infections, which are inarguably a number one reasons for children's doctor's visits. Even though the medical guidelines for treating these ear infections say to take a "watch and see" approach for at least two full days, I find that this is rarely if ever done. What is being done for these kids? That's easy. The same old, same old. Antibiotics. The problem is that ANTIBIOTICS are increasingly being seen for what they are --- one of the single larges destroyers of health in our society. With almost every disease you can imagine being tied back to lack of proper GUT FLORA, wouldn't it make sense to try a different approach?

To learn more about the way that Chiropractic Adjustments help with chronic childhood ear infections, you can read our five-part series on the subject (HERE). By the way, if you want to see some truly "jaw dropping" videos from parents of children we have been helped (unfortunately, I cannot legally use the word "cured" here) with severe and chronic ear infections, just take a couple of minutes to look at THIS LINK. I promise that these cases are worse than anything your family has dealt with.

If you are not sure how the whole "Chiropractic / Ear Infection" thing works, take one and a half minutes to watch this doubly extra cool video by Cash's mom, Kasey. By the way, this video was shot immediately after Cash's adjustment yesterday --- his fourth since September of 2013. This is what I get to do every day, and is the reason I never plan on retiring!

LIBIDO AS ANINDICATOR OF HEALTH

Mohamed Hassan - Giza/Egypt - Pixabay

"Erectile dysfunction affects as many as 30 million American men, including 30 to 50 percent of men between the ages of 40 and 70. It has definite physical and / or psychological causes. It is not a "natural" consequence of aging."Cherry picked from Johns Hopkins Medicine website

"The strong association between sexual dysfunction and impaired quality of life suggests that this problem warrants recognition as a significant public health concern."From 1999's Robert Wood Johnson University Medical School study called Sexual Dysfunction in the United States: Prevalence and Predictors

It's a cliche as old as the hills themselves. "Men are only interested in one thing". While this is not necessarily true, there is enough veracity here to make us wonder what is going on when a man no longer desires sex. In dealing with chronically ill patients for nearly a quarter century, it is my experience that when it comes to men, one of the first indicators of underlying ill health is a loss of the desire or ability to have sex. With the current rash of TV commercials for Viagra, Levitra, Cialis, etc, it is obvious that this is a significant problem in America. In fact, current statistics tell us that nearly 1 in 3 Americans over the age of 18 cannot have sex due to the inability to get and maintain an erection. Is this a problem? You do not have to read the second quote at the top of the page to realize that it is; especially when you consider that research has conclusively shown how importance sex is to a healthy marriage (HERE).

Unlike what you see on the TV commercials for the drugs listed above, most of the men dealing with this issue are not fit. The truth is, the drug companies would have you believe that impotence is merely a side effect of the aging process --- you know; the whole, "It's all downhill after the age of (insert your age here no matter what it is)" thing. The quote at the top of the page from Johns Hopkins tells us otherwise. Aside from DRUGS THAT CAUSE MALE IMPOTENCE, most of the time this problem is fairly straightforward as far as getting a handle on it. Lose the BELLY FAT, CONTROL THE BLOOD SUGAR(even in theABSENCE OF FULL-BLOWN DIABETES), deal with the HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE and HIGHCHOLESTEROL, and things will usually fall into place. Again men; one of the earliest signs your health is not what you thought it was is the inability or lack of desire for sex. Women are different, but maybe not as different as one would expect.

Although there is a much wider range of potential reasons for a loss of sex drive in females, the underlying causes are often the same. We see examples of this phenomenon HERE. But there are others. They range from ESTROGEN DOMINANCE(which can also affect men), PCOS, HORMONAL DISRUPTIONS, THYROID & HYPOTHALAMUS issues, ADRENAL FATIGUE, DEPRESSION, as well as those that men typically deal with. Although there are underlying reasons for all of these, there is one that stands out above the others. The current peer-reviewed research is pointing to Blood Sugar Dysregulation issues for these and numerous others as well (HERE). To learn more about preventing or reversing these and other health-related problems, simply follow the links.

WHICH IS MORE LIKELY RELATED TO OBESITY;HYPOTHALAMUS DYSFUNCTION OR THYROID PROBLEMS?

OpenStax College

"Patients who insist they have thyroid disease causing their weight problems are frequent. Some try thyroid medications, yet they feel worse and don't lose weight. These patients would only benefit from therapy for their hypothalamic dysfunction."Dr. Saad Sakkal

The title of my post would imply that I am letting people off the hook by saying that either their THYROID or HYPOTHALAMUS is responsible for the fact that they are OBESE. This is not generally the case. No one likes to hear this, but unless your specific situation is obviously GENETIC, your health is your responsibility. Regardless of why you have ended up where you are at today, let me show you some new research and talk about some things that might help you get your life back on track.

A few years ago, one of the most brilliant physicians on the planet (Dr. Datis Kharrazian) published a paperback book specifically written for patients with Thyroid problems. The name of the book is Why Do I Still Have Thyroid Symptoms? When My Lab Tests Are Normal? The book is an excellent primer on the relationship between the Immune System, the Endocrine System, the Brain / Nervous System, and the Gut. It seems that the medical community just might be coming around to this way of thinking. In a recent study by Kentucky endocrinologist, Dr. Saad Sakkal; we find him pitching the Hypothalamus (a part of the brain) as the primary culprit in a great deal of obesity cases. Although the study is yet to be published, it was presented at last week's annual meeting of American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists in Las Vegas ("Why Obese Patients May have Normal Thyroid Tests Despite 'Thyroid Symptoms'"). If you follow my site, all of this is old news.

Earlier this year, I published a post on the relationship between Obesity and Hypothalamus Dysfunction (HERE). While quite small in size, the functions of the Hypothalamus are numerous and significant. It controls things like LIBIDO, FERTILITY, Emotions, Motivation, Circadian Rhythms (sleep / wake cycles), Body Temperature, and Hunger. This is probably why Dr. Sakkal reported that the symptoms of the people (mostly women, as is the case with the vast majority of those with ENDOCRINE DISORDERS) in his study of Obese individuals with the appearance of Thyroid Dysfunction.

Although some of these are symptoms of Thyroid Dysfunction, Dr. Sakkal says that if you have three of four of the above symptoms, you "likely" have a HYPOTHALAMUS issue. If you have four or more, you are "definite". Dr. Sakkal concluded that this problem is not only common, but relatively easy to diagnose clinically (without tests). Which all begs the question of how he and others are treating this condition.

Although he and his team treat these problems with multiple drugs, I am not convinced that in many maybe most) cases, drugs are the best options. The vast majority of the chemicals and neurotransmitters your body makes and uses are on negative feedback loops. In other words, they work just like a thermostat on your heater. When the temperature gets too low, the thermostat senses this and triggers your furnace to kick on. Once the temperature regulates, the thermostat turns the heater off again. When you take drugs / medications, your body senses that it has enough of whatever particular chemical you are taking into your body. This, in turn, shuts down endogenous production.

If you want to start turning the tide on this problem, seek out someone trained in Functional Neurology who knows how to get your brain firing properly again. Next, you'll have to figure out what is driving INFLAMMATION in your body (GLUTEN, Heavy Metals, Parasites, ENDOCRINE-DISRUPTORS, etc, etc). There are several NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS that could benefit you as well, including Standard Process's Hypothalamus PMG. As far as other steps, many are general and could benefit the better portion of the population (HERE).

BENEFITSOF CHIROPRACTIC CARENOTHING NEW UNDER THE SUN

Several months ago the medical journal Spine carried yet another couple of studies touting the benefits of Chiropractic Care for low back pain. The first study called, Spinal High-Velocity Low Amplitude Manipulation in Acute Nonspecific Low Back Pain: A Double-Blinded Randomized Controlled Trial in Comparison with Diclofenac and Placebo, and the second, called Randomized Trial Adding Chiropractic Manipulative Therapy to Standard Medical Care for Patients With Acute Low Back Pain: Results of a Pragmatic Randomized Comparative Effectiveness Study, showed that when CHIROPRACTIC CAREis added to standard medical care the results are "significantly" better than adding things like certain drugs or sugar pills. All I can say here is big whup!

These sorts of studies have been around for decades, and while they used to be something special, they are now a dime a dozen (HERE ARE A FEW MORE pertaining to Chiropractic -vs- Spinal Surgeries). And you know what? The medical community largely continues to ignore them and do what they have always done (HERE). But think about the reasons for this. There is no real money in conservative or alternative care when compared to Standard Medical Care. And do not kid yourself. In today's environment of "Corporate Medicine" (around here it's either Cox or St. Johns) the bottom line is all that really matters.

Forty years ago, it was at least understandable that the Medical Community would reject and degrade Chiropractic. There was not much research to back up what we do other than millions of patient's personal testimonials. The problem is, this is considered "Anecdotal Evidence" and used to be derided as "unscientific". In other words, since it was not evidence that was arrived at via double blinded placebo-controlled studies, it was not considered to be valid. But this is not the case today. In fact, patient satisfaction surveys are actually considered to be objective findings (as opposed to subjective findings). It still doesn't matter. Although relationships between the medical and chiropractic communities have certainly improved in the 25 years I have been in the profession, there is still a huge divide between them. However, it is not nearly as large as the chasm between the Medical Research Community's findings, and the way that Medicine is practiced on a day to day basis (HERE). This is what I have referred to as THE MYTH OF EVIDENCE-BASED MEDICINE and THE MYTH OF PATIENT-CENTERED CARE.

The bottom line for sick patients is this; f you refuse to step outside of the box labeled "Standard Medical Care", you have little hope of ever overcoming your health problems. Sure; you might lower your CHOLESTEROL or BLOOD PRESSURE a bit, but real changes to your health? Forget about it. For example, how many people do you know who have been diagnosed with FIBROMYALGIA that are getting great results from the myriad of drugs their doctor(s) have them on? I could say the same thing for numerous other health-related conditions, including most AUTOIMMUNE DISEASES.

MORE EVIDENCE FOR CHIROPRACTIC

Need more evidence that in many cases, Chiropractic is a safe and scientifically proven alternative to DRUGS, INJECTIONS, and﻿SURGERY﻿? All we have to to is look at evidence that has been around for a long time ---- some of it a very long time, with much of it coming from the medical community itself. Here are a few of those studies. Interestingly enough, three of the four studies pertain to WHIPLASH INJURIES.

Over a year prior to America's entrance into WWII, the July, 1940 issue of the American Journal of Anatomy published an article by Dr. Mary Stearns. Stearns told us that the only real way to get injured soft tissues to heal was to subject them to, "early and persistent motion".

An article by Dr. Emil Seletz in the November, 1958 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (Whiplash Injuries; Neurophysiological Basis for Pain, and Methods Used for Rehabilitation) chimed in on this subject as well. After discussing the various forms and degrees of neck injury so frequently associated with whiplash, the abstract states that, "Treatment with tranquilizers and psychotherapy is of no avail, and patients become discouraged and resentful. The procedure here outlined includes heat, manipulation, and traction. Carefully adapted to the individual case, this plan generally obviates the danger of surgical and psychiatric complications and often leads to prompt rehabilitation of the patient."

Dr. James Cyriax, who is widely considered the father of modern orthopedics, in 1982's Textbook of Orthopedic Medicine, spoke at length about the necessity for injured soft tissues to be mobilized in a controlled fashion for proper healing to occur. He also spent significant time dealing with the detriments of imobilization as it pertains to joint and tissue health.

The March 1985 issue of the Canadian Family Physician looked at nearly 300 patients with low back pain who had been treated with Spinal Manipulation. After telling us that at any given time, "20-30% of adults suffer from low back pain," Drs. Kirkaldy-Willis and Cassiday (both board-certified orthopedists ---- one an MD and one a chiropractor) revealed in this study that chiropractors had about an 80% success rate with Class Four patients. Class four patents are those with low back pain and / or sciatica that is considered, "constant severe pain, [with] disability unaffected by [medical] treatment".

The truth is, I could literally go on and on and on. The evidence showing the efficacy, safety, and overall benefits of Chiropractic are overwhelming. But, as with anything, you'll have to find out for yourself. To learn more, take a few minutes to look at some of the ANECDOTAL EVIDENCE found scattered throughout our site.

RESEARCHERS RETRACT STATEMENTS ON STATIN SAFETY UNDER PRESSURE FROM THE BRITISH MEDICAL JOURNAL

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[Our goal with this editorial is to] "alert readers, the media, and the public to the withdrawal of these statements so that patients who could benefit from statins are not wrongly deterred from starting or continuing treatment because of exaggerated concerns over side effects."Dr. Fiona Goodlee of the British Medical Journal explaining why the public needs to be "warned" that Statin Drugs are much safer than some physicians and researchers have been telling the public.The statement comes from her editorial called "Adverse Effects of Statins: The BMJ and Authors Withdraw Statements that Adverse Events Occur in 18-20% of Patients".

Just the other day I saw yet another article suggesting we need to put STATIN DRUGS in our drinking water. Nope; I am not making this up. There are lots of doctors who believe that virtually everyone could benefit from LOWER CHOLESTEROL LEVELS. Amazing, considering their known side effects (click the links to see what I mean). One of my favorite articles on Statin Drugs is called Dangers of Statin Drugs: What You Haven’t Been Told About Popular Cholesterol-Lowering Medicines by Sally Fallon and Mary G. Enig, PhD. When you read this and other newer articles / studies, you quickly learn that not only are side effects of statins not rare, they are actually rather common (HERE). It seem that for some reason, the British Medical Journal, one of the oldest and most respected medical journals on the planet, does not want you to know this.

Dr Fiona Goodlee, the editor-in-chief of the BMJ, recently withdrew two scientific papers from theirarchives, denounced the results of the studies, and is in the process of forcing retractions from the study's authors. Trust me when I tell you that these studies were not done by Bevis and Butt Head. The first study, by Dr. John Abramson (MD) of Harvard Medical School was called Should People at Low Risk of Cardiovascular Disease Take a Statin? The study concluded that, "The evidence does not show that the benefits of statins in low risk patients outweigh the harms and that the advice for treatment of this group should not be changed." Later that same week, Aseem Malhotra, an interventional cardiology specialist registrar at Croydon University Hospital in London, England published an editorial in BMJ called Saturated Fat is not the Major Issue. The jist of the paper was that TRANS FATS and SUGAR / CARBS seem to be the driving force in Cardiovascular Disease and METABOLIC SYNDROME / DIABETES, not SATURATED FATS --- a fact I have belabored on this site.

Although Goodlee herself has been the hatchet-person for these studies, the actual act of retraction has been left up to others. She decided that, "the right thing to do is to pass this decision to an independent panel." In the immortal words of Dana Carvey, "Isn't that special". I'll not get into what "INDEPENDENT PANELS" tend to look like, but suffice it to say that they are rarely as "independent" as they claim to be. Folks; this is EVIDENCE-BASED MEDICINE at its finest. Sort of makes you wonder how much money / favor changed hands in this filthy little tryst.

ANTIBIOTICS, INFANTS, AND ASTHMA

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"Antibiotic use in the first year life is associated with an increased risk of early-onset childhood asthma that began before 3 years of age. The apparent effect has a clear dose response. Heightened caution about avoiding unnecessary use of antibiotics in infants is warranted."The conclusions of a study published in the March, 2014 issue of Annals of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology (Consequences of Antibiotics and Infections in Infancy: Bugs, Drugs, and Wheezing).

"Overall, children given antibiotics in their first half-year were 2.6 times more likely to develop allergic asthma, the team told a meeting of the European Respiratory Society on Tuesday. With broad-spectrum antibiotics, which kill a wide range of bacteria, the risk was far higher: children were 8.9 times more likely to suffer from asthma." From the October 1, 2003 "Biomedical Archives" of FuturePundit.com. The study itself was done in the Henry Ford Hospital of Detroit, Michigan (they have 5 hospitals in their network).

In case you were not aware, the risk of ASTHMA goes up significantly when babies under a year old are given ANTIBIOTICS. A few years ago (click the first links above), I reported to you that Antibiotics given to the very young, dramatically increased their chances of developing Asthma. All you have to do is look at the quotes at the top of this page to realize that this was not new information, as the two studies were published over a decade apart. In fact, if you get on your computer and Google "Antibiotics Cause Asthma", you'll get 1.2 million hits. Yet the insanity continues virtually unabated (HERE), causing an even greater number of health problems than the uninitiated could possibly begin to fathom. Allow me to explain.

We do not really need more taxpayer-funded research telling us that ANTIBIOTICS DESTROY HEALTHand cause lifetime health-related problems. We need educated parents and doctors who will stand up and say, "no; I am not giving little Junior an antibiotic. That's not what he needs right now". But the solution to this problem does not end with simply not killing off one's good bacteria with antibiotics. One must actually expose themselves / their children to bacteria in order to be healthy (I have written about this previously HERE, HERE and HERE). Let me share with you what the 2003 article from the top of the page said about this matter.

"This "hygiene hypothesis" has been gathering strength in recent years. The latest result certainly strengthens the argument considerably. The idea is basically reminiscent of the saying "idle hands are the devil's workshop". Remove the normal antigens that the immune system is exposed to and it starts reacting to things it ought not react to. Our ancestors lived in dirt floor dwellings and had much more exposure to animals, dirt, and nature in general. We live lives which bring us in much less exposure to the antigens we evolved to deal with. Exposure to those antigens appear to be necessary to instruct the immune system on what it should identify as a threat."

I would challenge all parents and grandparents to click on some of these links and learn why you do not want your children (or yourself) taking antibiotics. Is it possible to actually live a life free of antibiotics? My four children, ages 16 to 9 (HERE are some pics) have never been on antibiotics. Yes, they have had all of the same childhood health issues yours have had. But 999 times out of a thousand, antibiotics are not needed to get over these infections. If we will simply nurture our God-given Immune Systems, we will realize that they are infinitely more powerful than a pill or shot.

Dr. Schierling completed four years of Kansas State University's five-year Nutrition / Exercise Physiology Program before deciding on a career in Chiropractic. He graduated from Logan Chiropractic College in 1991, and has run a busy clinic in Mountain View, Missouri ever since. He and his wife Amy have four children (three daughters and a son).